Dental instrument for crimping retaining clamp on matrix band



Oct. 1, 1963 B. F. TOFFLEIMIRE 3,105,402

DENTAL INSTRUMENT FOR CRIMPING RETAINING CLAMP 0N MATRIX BAND 2 Sheets- Sheeo 1 Filed Aug. 5, 19 61 INVENTOR BENJAMIN F. TOFFLEMIRE ATTORNEYL 36 36 :ElEi-JZ- Oct. 1, 1963 B. F. TOFFLEMIRE 3,105,402

DENTAL INSTRUMENT FOR CRIMPING RETAINING CLAMP oN MATRIX BAND Filed Aug. 3, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvroa H BENJAMIN F'- TOFFLEMIRE Z'Cow AT TOR NEY United States Patent RETAIN- This application is a continuation-impart of my copending application on Pliers for Crimping Retaining Clamp on Dental Matrix Band, Serial No. 57,746, which was filed in the United States Patent Office on September 22, 1960 (now abandoned).

Generally speaking, it is proposed to provide a dental instrument having a pair of coacting jaws or beaks which are adapted to be introduced over a U-shaped retaining clamp that straddles the overlapped end sections of a looped matrix band arranged to encircle a patients tooth. These jaws are formed so that they may be moved into a predetermined position relative to the retaining clamp, and then the jaws are adapted to be moved toward one another so as to crimp the retaining clamp upon interposed end sections of the band.

Moreover, it is proposed to provide a dental instrument which is fashioned so that the jaws or beaks thereof may be centered and accurately positioned automatically, when applied to my specially designed retaining clamp. The latter is made in such a manner as to guide the jaws or beaks of the dental instrument into a final predetermined position relative to the retaining clamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dental instrument having jaws or beaks that are so designed as to fit over a preformed rib formed on the exterior surface of one of the legs of the retaining clamp, regardless of whether the rib is presented on the mesial or distal aspect of the banded tooth, and irrespective of the quadrant of the patients mouth in which the tooth is located.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dental instrument in which one of the jaws or beaks is fashioned with a distal groove disposed :to fit over an occluso-gingiv-al extending rib that projects from the exterior surface of the distal leg of the retaining clamp, the other jaw or beak having a wedge-shaped blade that is adapted to enter an exterior groove on the mesial aspect of the clamp. As this blade is forced into the niesially located groove, there will be a definite buccodingual and lateral expansion of the clamp to press the matrix band into the gingival recess of the banded tooth.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features will be set forth in the appended claims.

Drawings For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE *1 is a bucco-lingual sectional view showing my retaining clamp as being interposed between the looped portion of a dental matrix band that encircles a patients tooth and the head of a matrix retainer which is anchored to the overlapped end sections of the band;

FIGURE 2 is an occlusal view of FIGURE 1, the jaws or beaks of my improved dental instrument being indicated by dot-dash lines;

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the retaining clamp;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of my dental instrument, the latter being shown in open position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of my dental instrument when opened;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but disclosing the jaws or beaks of the dental instrument as being closed upon an interposed retaining clamp;

BAEARZ Patented Get. 1, 1953 "ice FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the vertical plane VII-VII of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane VIII-VIII of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of a modified form of my dental instrument in open position;

FIGURE 10 is an isometric view of a modification of my matrix band retaining clamp;

FIGURE 11 is an isometric view similar to FIGURE 10, but showing the retaining clamp inverted;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged view of a fragmentary portion of the modified dental instrument, disclosing the jaws or beaks as being closed upon an interposed retaining clamp;

FIGURE 13 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane XIII-XIII of FIGURE 12, but illustrating the jaws or beaks as being only partially closed; and

FIGURE 14 is a mesial view of the modified retaining clamp after it has been compressed by the dental instrument shown in FIGURE 9.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed Description Referring now to the first embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGURES l to 8, inclusive, it will be noted that I have shown a looped matrix band designated generally at A, the looped portion 1% of which encircles a patients tooth B. The overlapped end sections 11 of the band project from the looped portion 10 so as to be engaged by a matrix retainer C, the details of which are fully set forth in my United States Patent No. 2,502,903.

The first form of my retaining clamp is designated at D, and it is adapted to be interposed between the looped portion 14) of the band A and a slotted head -E of the matrix retainer C. This clamp is U-shaped and defines a pair of spaced legs 12 which are interconnected by an arch 13. The legs provide a slot 14 therebetween that is open .at one end of the legs, whereby the clamp may be applied over the occlusal edges 15 of the overlapped end sections 11 of the looped matrix band A and the clamp moved gingivally, i.e., towards the patients gums 16, so that the legs 12 will straddle the overlapped end sections 11 of the band.

With particular reference to FIGURES l, 2, 3 and 8, it will be seen that one of the legs 12 is preformed with an interior rib 19 that projects toward a registering preformed interior recess 29 fashioned in the other leg 112. This arrangement will provide interlocking offsets 21 in the overlapped end sections 11 of the band, when the retaining clamp D is crimped on the band. The purpose of the rib 19 and the recess 20 is to positively anchor the retaining clamp D against slippage along the lengths of the end sections 1 1 of the band. Both the rib 19 and the recess 2% are formed by a stamping operation and extend in an occluso-gingival direction. During the stamping of the interior recess 21 an exterior rib 22 will be provided on the outer surface of the leg '12 in which this recess is stamped (see FIGURES 2 and 8). The ribs 19 and 22, as well as the recess 20, taper upwardly toward the arch v13 of the retaining clamp D. Also, anexterior occluso-gingival groove 19a is provided in the other leg 12, when the interior rib 19 is stamped.

It will be noted that a pair of spaced lugs 17 are disposed on the exterior surfaces of the gingival corners of each of the legs 15!; of the retaining clamp D (see FIGURES 1-3 and 68).

In order to crimp the retaining clamp D on the dental matrix band A, I have provided a first embodiment of a dental instrument F (see FIGURES 4 to 7, inclusive). In its structural features, this dental instrument defines a pair of coacting jaws or beaks G and H, which are adapted to be introduced over the arch 13 of the retaining clamp D, as shown in FIGURES 2, 6 and 8. Each jaw or beak defines a free end 28 adapted to project gingivally relative to the banded tooth B. Moreover,

the dental instrument F has a pair of operating handles 29 and 39, which are swingably secured together by a journal pin 31 for closing and opening movements. A leaf spring 32 may be fixed to one of the handles and bears against the other handle, as disclosed in FIGURE 4, soas to yieldingly urge the handles 2% and 3t? apart and thus open the jaws or beaks G and H.

It will be noted that the jaws or beaks G and H are fixed to the handles 29 and 30, respectively, and these jaws or beaks are movable toward and away from one another by actuating the handles. Stop means designated generally at I is provided on the dental instrument F and disposed to bear against the arch .13 of the retaining clamp D for limiting movement of the jaws or beaks in a gingival direction over the legs 12 of this clamp so as to substantially confine the free ends 28 of the jaws or beaks to the legs 12, whereby the latter will be crimped upon the interposed end sections 11 of the band A, when the jaws or beaks are moved toward one another.

As shown inFIGURES 4 to 6, inclusive, the stop means I is provided by a concave stop 33 formed on the jaw H. This stop is spaced from the free end 28 of the jaw H in which it is formed by a distance substantially equal to the length of a leg 12 of the retaining clamp.

At least one of the jaws or beaks G and H is fash ioned with a recess or notch 34 in at least a lateral side thereof. As will be apparent from FIGURES 4 to 7, inclusive, 1 have provided recesses or notches 34 in both lateral sides of each jaw or beak G and H, and these recesses or notches extend occlusally from the free ends 2-8 of the jaws or beaks. Each recess 34 terminates with a shoulder 35 at its top. Regardless of the number of recesses or notches 34 provided, each is disposed to receive one of the lugs 17 of the retaining clamp D so as to arrest further movement of the jaws or beaks G and H in a gingival direction, when the shoulder 35 bears against the adjacent lug 17.

Moreover, each recess or notch 34 has a vertical wall 36 disposed to abut a lug 17 to limit movement of the recessed jaw in a lateral direction relative to the leg 12 of the retaining clamp D over which the recessed jaw or beak is applied. It will be clear from the drawing that I have provided a total of four recesses or notches 34, each being disposed to receive one of the four lugs 17 of the retaining clamp. The free end 28 of each jaw or beak G and H defines a nib disposed between its recesses 34 (see FIGURE 7), which is dimensioned to be inserted between a pair of the spaced lugs 17. This arrangement will hold the jaws or beaks G and H against movement in either lateral direction relative to the legs 12 of the retaining clamp.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the dental instrument F is so designed that the jaws or beaks G and H may be centered and accurately positioned in the vertical guideway provided on the exterior surfaces of the legs 12 by the spaced lugs 17.

'These guideways serve not only to guide the specially designed jaws or beaks G and H into final position over the interposed retaining clamp D, but further guide the shoulders 35 against the occlusal edges of the lugs 17. Thus these lugs serve as stops or a depth-gauge to limit movement of the jaws or beaks in a gingival direction.

The lateral recesses or notches 34 occur near the free ends of tips 28 of each jaw or beak G and H, and the shoulders 35 extend substantially at right angles to the 4 lengths of the jaws or beaks and occupy substantially a horizontal plane as the vertical jaws or beaks are placed in operative position in the patients mouth.

Both jaws or beaks G and H are fashioned with a groove 37 extending occlusally from the free ends 28 of the jaws. Each groove 37 is disposed to fit over the occluso-gingival extending rib 22 that projects from the exterior surface of one of the legs 12 of the retaining clamp D, depending upon whether the rib 22 is disposed on the mesial or distal aspect of the banded tooth. Of course, only one groove would sufiice, providing that the retaining clamp D were applied to the band A so that the rib 22 was always arranged on the mesial aspect of the banded tooth. The width and depth of each groove 37 decrease in an occlusal direction so as to conform to the shape of the exterior rib 22.

Referring now to the modified retaining clamp D shown in FIGURES 10 and 11, this clamp is substantially the same as that disclosed in my copending application on a Matrix Band Retaining Clamp, Serial No. 93,435, filed March 6, 1961 (now Patent No. 3,046,- 659, dated July 31, 1962). It is similar to the clamp illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the present case. Like reference numerals have been applied to corresponding parts of the retaining clamps D and D.

In FIGURES 9, l2 and 13, I have illustrated a modified form of my dental instrument F. Here, the jaws or beaks G and H are swingably secured together by a journal screw 31, and operating handles 29 and 30 are fixed to the jaws or beaks G and H, respectively. These jaws or beaks are yieldingly urged into open position by an expansion spring 32 that encircles the screw 31 (see FIGURE 12).

32b of the spring is anchored to the jaw or beak H.

The hub portions of the jaws or beaks G and H that surround the screw 31 constitutes a stop means I for limiting the insertion of the retaining clamp D between these jaws or beaks (see FIGURE 12).

As clearly shown in FIGURES 9 and 13, the jaw or beak G is fashioned with a distal groove 37 therein, which is disposed to fit over the occluso-gingival'rib 22 that projects from the exterior surface of the distal leg 12 of the retaining clamp D. This groove 37 is V- shaped in cross-section, with a uniform width and. depth throughout its length.

Moreover, the jaw or beak H has been provided with a wedge-shaped blade 39 that is adapted to enter the exterior mesial groove 19a of the retaining clamp D. This blade extends upwardly from the free end 28 of the jaw or beak H and is V-shaped in cross-section, the

width and height of the blade being uniform throughout.

its length (see FIGURES 9 and 13).

The spaced lugs 17 of the retaining clamp D serve to guide the jaws or beaks G and H into a position wherein the groove 37 and the blade 39 will register with the exterior rib 22 and the exterior mesial groove 19a respectively, as the dental instrument F is moved into final position over the retaining clamp D.

It will be observed that the mesial groove 19a and the distal rib 22 are disposed midway between the lugs 17 at the opposite lateral gingival corners of the legs 12. Each jaw or beak G and H is fashioned with recesses or notches 34- therein to receive the adjacent lug 17.

Particular attention is called to the fact that a very important achievement of the retaining clamp D results when the dental instrument F is closed upon this clamp after the band A has been adequately tightened by the retainer C. As the gingival adapter blade 39 is forced or compressed into the mesial groove 19a, a definite bucco-lingual and lateral expansion of the gingival lugs 17 is accomplished. The pattern of the mesial groove 19a, after the retaining clamp D has been compressed by the dental instrument F, is shown in FIGURE 14, the blade 3? being shaped to give this pattern.

One end 32a of this spring is' anchored to the jaw or beak G, while the other end This results in a two-fold advantage: (1) a hair-line closure 40 (see FIGURE 13) is provided along the entire occluso-gingival length of the encircling band A and (2) the gingival lugs 17 are urged laterally to press the matrix band A into the gingival recess 41 of the banded tooth B (see FIGURE 1).

The exterior groove 19a of the retaining clamp D is always placed facing the operator, i.e., toward the mesial plane, regardless of whether the application is on the buccal or lingual surface, right or left side, upper or lower jaw of the patient.

The distal groove 37' and the mesial wedge-shaped blade 39 are located on the confronting faces of the jaws or beaks G and H, respectively, and are aligned with one another (see FIGURE 13). Both commence at the free ends 28' of these jaws or beaks and extent occlusually along the length of their respective jaws or beaks. This arrangement will facilitate the placing of te groove 37' and the blade 39 over the exterior rib 22 and the exterior groove 19a, respectively, when the dental instrument F is being moved into final position for crimping the retaining clamp D upon the overlapped end sections 11 of the matrix band.

I claim:

1. In a dental instrument:

(a) a pair of operating handles swingably secured together for closing and opening movements;

(b) a mesial jaw fixed to one of the handles and a distal jaw fixed to the other handle;

(c) these jaws projecting in ofise-t relation at substantially right angles relative to their respective handles, whereby the jaws may be moved in a gingival direction over a substantially U-shaped retaining clamp to straddle the latter, while the clamp is disposed in a patients mouth on overlapped ends of a looped matrix band that encircles a patients tooth;

(d) the handles being movable to actuate the jaws to crimp legs of the retaining clamp on the band;

(2) stop means disposed to bear against the retaining clamp for limiting movement of the jaws in a gingi val direction over the clamp;

(1) both jaws being fashioned with a recess in each lateral side thereof extending occlusally from free ends of the jaws;

(g) the free ends of the jaws defining nibs between their respective recesses, with the nibs being dimensioned to be inserted between spaced lugs disposed on the exterior gingival corners of the legs of the clamp, with the nibs bearing against the lugs to hold the jaws from slipping laterally during crimping of the clamp.

2. In a dental instrument:

(a) a pair of operating handles swingably secured together for closing and opening movements;

(17) a mesial jaw fixed to one of the handles and a distal jaw fixed to the other handle;

(0) these jaws projecting in offset relation at substantially right angles relative to their respective handles, whereby the jaws may be moved in a gingival direction over a substantially U-shaped retaining clamp to straddle the latter, while the clamp is disposed in a patients mouth on overlapped ends of a looped matrix band that encircles a patients tooth;

(d) the handles being movable to actuate the jaws to crimp legs of the retaining clamp on the band;

(e) stop means disposed to bear against the retaining clamp for limiting movement of the jaws in a gingival direction over the clamp;

(f) the stop means being spaced from the free ends of the jaws by a distance substantially equal to the length of a leg of the retainingclamp.

3. In a dental instrument:

(a) a pair of operating handles swingably secured together for closing and opening movements;

(b) a mesial jaw fixed to one of the handles and a distal jaw fixed to the other handle;

(c) these jaws projecting in oliset relation at substantially right angles relative to their respective handles, whereby the jaws may be moved in a gingival direction over a substantially U-shaped retaining clamp to straddle the latter, while the clamp is disposed in a patients mouth on overlapped ends of a looped matrix band that encircles a patients tooth;

(d) the handles being movable to actuate the jaws to crimp legs of the retaining clamp on the band;

(e) one of the jaws having a groove on its inner face disposed to fit over an occluso-gingival rib projecting from an exterior surface of the adjacent leg of the clamp;

(f) the other jaw being provided with a wedge-shaped blade on its inner face aligned with the groove in the opposite jaw;

(g) the groove and blade commencing at and extending occlusally from the free ends of their respective aws;

(h) the blade being dimensioned and shaped to produce a definite bucco-lingual expansion of the-retaining clamp to press the matrix band into a gingival recess of the banded tooth, when the jaws are forced toward one another upon the interposed clamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 404,811 Wichelhaus June 4, 1889 555,234 Durant Feb. 25, 1896 652,359 Haigh June 26, 1900 1,471,531 Schorrath Oct. 23, 1923 1,593,499 Kunz July 20, 1926 1,619,084 Miller Mar. 1, 1927 

1. IN A DENTAL INSTRUMENT: (A) A PAIR OF OPERATING HANDLES SWINGABLY SECURED TOGETHER FOR CLOSING AND OPENING MOVEMENTS; (B) A MESIAL JAW FIXED TO ONE OF THE HANDLES AND A DISTAL JAW FIXED TO THE OTHER HANDLE; (C) THESE JAWS PROJECTING IN OFFSET RELATION AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES RELATIVE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE HANDLES, WHEREBY THE JAWS MAY BE MOVED IN A GINGIVAL DIRECTION OVER A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED RETAINING CLAMP TO STRADDLE THE LATTER, WHILE THE CLAMP IS DISPOSED IN A PATIENT''S MOUTH ON OVERLAPPED ENDS OF A LOOPED MATRIX BAND THAT ENCIRCLES A PATIENT''S TOOTH; (D) THE HANDLES BEING MOVABLE TO ACTUATE THE JAWS TO CRIMP LEGS OF THE RETAINING CLAMP ON THE BAND; (E) STOP MEANS DISPOSED TO BEAR AGAINST THE RETAINING CLAMP FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE JAWS IN A GINGIVAL DIRECTION OVER THE CLAMP; (F) BOTH JAWS BEING FASHIONED WITH A RECESS IN EACH LATERAL SIDE THEREOF EXTENDING OCCLUSALLY FROM FREE ENDS OF THE JAWS; (G) THE FREE ENDS OF THE JAWS DEFINING NIBS BETWEEN THEIR RESPECTIVE RECESSES, WITH THE NIBS BEING DIMENSIONED TO BE INSERTED BETWEEN SPACED LUGS DISPOSED ON THE EXTERIOR GINGIVAL CORNERS OF THE LEGS OF THE CLAMP, WITH THE NIBS BEARING AGAINST THE LUGS TO HOLD THE JAWS FROM SLIPPING LATERALLY DURING CRIMPING OF THE CLAMP. 